Her conversation how instructive! how sought after! The delight of
persons of all ages, of both sexes, of all ranks! Yet how humble,
how condescending! Never were dignity and humility so
illustriously mingled!
At other times, how generous, how noble, how charitable, how judicious in
her charities! In every action laudable! In every attitude
attractive! In every appearance, whether full-dressed, or in the
housewife's more humble garb, equally elegant, and equally lovely!
Like, or resembling, Miss Clarissa Harlowe, they now remember to
be a praise denoting the highest degree of excellence, with every
one, whatever person, action, or rank, spoken of.—The desirable
daughter; the obliging kinswoman; the affectionate sister, (all
envy now subsided!) the faithful, the warm friend; the affable,
the kind, the benevolent mistress!—Not one fault remembered! All
their severities called cruelties: mutually accusing each other;
each him and herself; and all to raise her character, and torment
themselves.
Such, Sir, was the angel, of whom the vilest of men has deprived the world! You, Sir, who know more of the barbarous machinations and practices of this strange man, can help me to still more inflaming reasons, were they needed, why a man, not perfect, may stand excused to the generality of the world, if he should pursue his vengeance; and the rather, as through an absence of six years, (high as just report, and the promises of her early youth from childhood, had raised her in his esteem,) he could not till now know one half of her excellencies—till now! that we have lost, for ever lost, the admirable creature!—
But I will force myself from the subject, after I have repeated that I have not yet made any resolutions that can bind me. Whenever I do, I shall be glad they may be such as may merit the honour of your approbation.
I send you back the copies of the posthumous letters. I see the humanity of your purpose, in the transmission of them to me; and I thank you most heartily for it. I presume, that it is owing to the same laudable consideration, that you kept back the copy of that to the wicked man himself.
I intend to wait upon Miss Howe in person with the diamond ring, and such other of the effects bequeathed to her as are here. I am, Sir,
Your most faithful and obliged servant, WM. MORDEN.
[Mr. Belford, in his answer to this letter, farther enforces the lady's
dying injunctions; and rejoices that the Colonel has made no
vindictive resolutions; and hopes every thing from his prudence
and consideration, and from his promise given to the dying lady.
He refers to the seeing him in town on account of the dreadful ends of
two of the greatest criminals in his cousin's affair. 'This, says
he, together with Mr. Lovelace's disorder of mind, looks as if
Providence had already taken the punishment of these unhappy
wretches into its own hands.'
He desires the Colonel will give him a day's notice of his coming to
town, lest otherwise he may be absent at the time—this he does,
though he tells him not the reason, with a view to prevent a
meeting between him and Mr. Lovelace; who might be in town (as he
apprehends,) about the same time, in his way to go abroad.]